Emphasis on self-reliance and trade barriers could make it more difficult for people to eat a healthy and sustainable diet, according to a study published in the journal Nature Food. A team from the University of Göttingen and the University of Edinburgh analysed how 186 countries can feed their own populations relying solely on their own domestic production.
The researchers assessed seven food groups that are part of the World Wildlife Fund’s Livewell diet. The results showed that only one in seven countries can claim self-sufficiency in five or more essential food groups, and most are located within Europe and South America. This lack of self-sufficiency was especially true in the Caribbean, West Africa, and the Gulf states. Six countries, primarily in the Middle East, cannot produce enough of a single food group to meet their own needs.
Notably, only Guyana is completely self-sufficient in all seven food groups, while China and Vietnam achieve six. Worryingly, there are significant discrepancies regarding self-sufficiency in meat and dairy products. For example, many European countries produce far in excess of their needs, but domestic production in African countries is very low. Furthermore, fewer than half of the countries meet their domestic needs for legumes (for instance, beans and peas) or nuts and seeds, while only a quarter do so for vegetables.
The study also shows that some countries have low production and rely almost exclusively on a single trading partner for more than half of their imports, increasing their vulnerability. This pattern is especially visible in smaller countries, including island states. For example, many Central American and Caribbean countries depend on the United States for the bulk of their imports of starchy staples, such as wheat and maize, and several European and Central Asian countries rely on a single partner for legumes, nuts, and seeds.
“International food trade and cooperation is essential for healthy and sustainable diets. However, heavy reliance on imports from single countries can leave nations vulnerable,” says Jonas Stehl, PhD researcher at the University of Göttingen and first author of the study. “Building resilient food supply chains is imperative for ensuring public health.”
Jonas Stehl et al. “Gap between national food production and food-based dietary guidance highlights lack of national self-sufficiency”, Nature Food 2025, DoI: 10.1038/s43016-025-01173-4